Article

The floristic check-list ofultramafic (serpentine) outcrops ofTuscany is presented. Papers, dating from 1841 to 1998 concerning flora, vegetation, ecophysiology and soil, were accurately ehecked in order to obtain floristic data which were stored in a data base. From the analysis of the resulting checklist 809 sub-generic taxa were recorded, i.e. about 14.5% of the whole ltalian flora. The most represented families were Compositae (12.6%), Graminaceae (11.6%), Leguminosae (10.4%), Caryophyllaceae (5.0%), Rosaceae (4.9%), Labiatae (4.5%), Umbelliferae (3.3%) and Cruciferae (3.2%). The life form spectrum was dominated by hemicryptophytes and therophytes in aeeordanee with the generaI features of the Tusean flora, whereas the proportion of woody speeies (ehamaephytes and phanerophytes) was relatively higher. The list of endemie and serpentine-preferential plants is provided and some taxa needing in-depth studi es are diseussed.